Functional film having optical and electrical properties

Abstract

A functional film includes a transition layer having a first constituent and a second constituent having gradual content gradients according to a thickness of the functional film. The first constituent is at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x (x>1), MgF 2 , CaF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 and ITO, and the second constituent is at least one material selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), yttrium (Y), zinc (Zn), zirconium (Zr), tungsten (W) and tantalum (Ta).

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A functional film comprising: 
       a transition layer comprising  
       a first constituent comprising at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , CaF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3  and indium tin oxide, and  
       a second constituent comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, silver, silicon, germanium, Atrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum,  
       wherein:  
       the first and second constituents having corresponding gradual content gradients that vary according to a thickness of the functional film, and  
       x is greater than 1.  
     
     
       2. The functional film according to  claim 1 , wherein the gradual content gradients are distributed such that a refractive index gradually increases or decreases in an incident direction of external light according to the thickness of the functional film. 
     
     
       3. The functional film according to  claim 1 , wherein the gradual content gradients are distributed such that a light absorption efficiency gradually increases in an incident direction of external light according to the thickness of the functional film. 
     
     
       4. The functional film according to  claim 1 , wherein the gradual content gradients are distributed such that an electrical conductivity gradually increases or decreases by varying a content of the second constituent according to the thickness of the functional film. 
     
     
       5. The functional film according to  claim 1 , wherein the gradual content gradients are distributed such that a content of the first constituent gradually decreases and a content of the second constituent gradually increases in an incident direction of external light according to the thickness of the functional film. 
     
     
       6. The functional film according to  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate on which the functional film is deposited, wherein a refractive index difference of less than or equal to 0.5 exists at an intersection of the functional film and said substrate. 
     
     
       7. The functional film according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dielectric layer formed of at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , CaF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3  and indium tin oxide, wherein x is greater than 1. 
     
     
       8. The functional film according to  claim 7 , wherein said dielectric layer is deposited between said substrate and said transition layer so as to contact said substrate. 
     
     
       9. The functional film according to  claim 8 , wherein a difference in a refractive index between said dielectric layer and said substrate is less than or equal to 0.5. 
     
     
       10. The functional film according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conductive layer comprising at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, silver, germanium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum. 
     
     
       11. The functional film according to  claim 10 , further comprising a substrate, wherein said conductive layer is formed on a face of said transition layer opposite the face where said transition layer contacts said substrate. 
     
     
       12. The functional film according to  claim 8 , further comprising a conductive layer comprising at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, silver, germanium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum, wherein said conductive layer is formed at a face opposite to the face where said transition layer contacts said dielectric layer. 
     
     
       13. A functional film for use in a display, comprising: 
       a first constituent comprising at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , CaF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3  and indium tin oxide; and  
       a second constituent comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, silver, silicon, germanium, Atrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum,  
       wherein:  
       a relative content of said first and second constituents varies within the functional film such that light incident on a first face of the functional film is variably refracted and does not pass through a second face of the functional film opposite the first face, and  
       x is greater than 1.  
     
     
       14. The function film of  claim 13 , wherein the relative content of said first and second constituents varies as a function of distance from the first face. 
     
     
       15. The functional film of  claim 14 , wherein the function is a linear function. 
     
     
       16. The functional film of  claim 14 , wherein the function is a step function so as to produce stepped gradients. 
     
     
       17. The functional film of  claim 13 , further comprising layers disposed between the first and second faces, with each said layer having a corresponding relative content of said first and second constituents that is constant through said layer. 
     
     
       18. The functional film of  claim 13 , wherein the first face has a refractive index that is at or within 0.5 of a refractive index of glass. 
     
     
       19. The functional film of  claim 18 , wherein the glass is soda-lime glass. 
     
     
       20. The functional film of  claim 13 , further comprising a conductive layer deposited on the functional film above the second face. 
     
     
       21. The functional film of  claim 20 , wherein said conductive layer comprises at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, silver, germanium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum. 
     
     
       22. The functional film of  claim 13 , further comprising a dielectric layer formed on the first face. 
     
     
       23. The functional film of  claim 22 , wherein: 
       said dielectric layer comprises at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , CaF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3  and indium tin oxide, and  
       x is greater than 1.  
     
     
       24. The functional film of  claim 23 , further comprising a conductive layer deposited on the functional film above the second face, wherein said conductive layer comprises at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, silver, germanium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum. 
     
     
       25. The functional film of  claim 13 , wherein the functional film is a non-laminated structure having a refractive index that gradually changes as a function of a distance from the first face. 
     
     
       26. The functional film of  claim 25 , wherein a light absorption efficiency gradually increases as a function of the distance from the first face. 
     
     
       27. The functional film of  claim 26 , wherein an extinction coefficient gradually increases as a function of the distance from the first face. 
     
     
       28. The functional film according to  claim 1 , wherein the first constituent comprises at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and indium tin oxide. 
     
     
       29. The functional film according to  claim 1 , wherein the second constituent comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, aluminium, silver, silicon, germanium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten and tantalum. 
     
     
       30. The functional film according to  claim 29 , wherein the first constituent comprises at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and indium tin oxide. 
     
     
       31. The function film of  claim 13 , wherein the first constituent comprises at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and indium tin oxide. 
     
     
       32. The function film of  claim 13 , wherein the second constituent comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, aluminium, silver, silicon, germanium, yttrium, zinc, zirconium, tungsten, and tantalum. 
     
     
       33. The function film of  claim 32 , wherein the first constituent comprises at least one dielectric material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , MgF 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and indium tin oxide.